MENTAL HEALTH
Facing Problems
• IDENTIFY YOUR PROBLEM
• DETERMINE IF IT IS TEMPORARY OR
PERSISITENT
If Temporary
How Serious Is It
• Not Too Serious • Very Serious
– Think it out, or talk to a – Think it out, talk to a
family member or family member or
friend friend and seek
professional help
If Persistent
Can You Handle It Alone
• If Yes • If No
– Think it out, or talk to a – Think it out, talk to a
family member or family member or
friend friend and seek
professional
Understanding Mental Disorders
• Feeling anxious, sad or fearful is natural.
• If feelings continue for long period of time
and make people feel out of control or
unable to deal with life may signal mental
disorder
• Sometimes it has a physical cause, injury
to brain, effects of drug use, genentics
Types of Disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Mood disorders
• Schizophrenia
Anxiety Disorder
• A disorder in which real or imagined fears
keep a person from functioning normally
– Phobias – Exaggerated fears about
something specific (spiders, snakes)
– Obsessive-compulsive – Cannot keep certain
thoughts out of mind. May develop repetitive
behaviors
– Stress – affects people that have had an
overwhelming experience
Mood Disorders
• Person undergoes changes in mood that
seems inappropriate or extreme
Depression
• Mood disorder involving feelings of
hopelessness, helplessness,
worthlessness, guilt, and extreme sadness
Bipolar Disorder
• Extreme mood swings for no apparent
reason
• May be extremely happy and then
extremely sad
Schizophrenia
• A person perception lose their connection
to reality
• Hear voices or see images that are not
really there
• May suffer from false beliefs – that they
have unusual powers or are on a special
mission
• It is considered the most serious mental
disorder
Treating Mental Disorders
• Often difficult to treat
• Strong medicines and long term therapy is
most often used
Seriously Troubled Teens
• Suicide – Intentionally killing oneself
• 2nd Leading cause of death among teens
between ages of 15 and 19
The warning Signs of Suicide
• Statements like “They’ll be sorry when I’m
gone.” or “I wish I could just go to seep
and never wake up!”
• Low levels of energy
• Taking greater risks than usual
The warning Signs of Suicide
• Loss of interest in hobbies, sports, jobs,
etc.
• Giving away prized possessions
• A past history of attempted suicide